UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USACONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONSPRESS RELEASE

Holy Unction Service in Chicago Deanery!

On the afternoon or evening of Great and Holy Wednesday, the Mystery of Holy Unction is conducted in Orthodox parishes. The Sacrament of Holy Unction is offered for the healing of soul and body and for forgiveness of sins. At the conclusion of the service of the Sacrament, the body is anointed with oil, and the grace of God, which heals infirmities of soul and body, is called down upon each person. The Sacrament is performed by a gathering of priests, ideally seven in number, however, it can be performed by a lesser number and even by a single priest.

Once again the clergy of Chicago Deanery of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA along with their spiritual father and hierarch His Grace Bishop Daniel gathered together for this Holy Mystery at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bensenville, IL. At about 6:30PM, the parish church temple was filled with parishioners and visitors to the parish family to take part in the Holy Unction Mystery.

His Grace Bishop Daniel addressed the faithful of the Church with his remarks at the conclusion of the service, teaching the faithful about the spiritual meaning of this sacred service.

The bishop stated: “The express purpose of the Sacrament of Holy Unction is healing and forgiveness. Since it is not always the will of God that there should be physical healing, the prayer of Christ that God's will be done always remains as the proper context of the Sacrament. In addition, it is the clear intention of the Sacrament that through the anointing of the sick body the sufferings of the person should be sanctified and united to the sufferings of Christ. In this way, the wounds of the flesh are consecrated, and strength is given that the suffering of the diseased person may not be unto the death of his soul, but for eternal salvation in the resurrection and life of the Kingdom of God.”

As the service neared the conclusion, the bishop, assisted by the clergy, holding the Holy Gospel over the faithful gathered in the parish temple, recited the prayer of Anointing for the healing of soul and body. Following the dismissal, the faithful approached the bishop and the clergy (Very Rev. Bohdan Kalynuk – pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Bensenville, IL; Archimandrite Pankratij – pastor of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL; Rev. Fr. Walter Hwostik – pastor of Protection of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Milwaukee, WI; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha – pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL; as well as Protodeacon Andriy Frochak of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL and Deacon John Charest of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL) for anointing, while the parishioners of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Bensenville, IL and visitors chanted Lenten sacred hymns.